#1812 Family Ties - Part 1

Summary

Juicebox Podcast: Type 1 Diabetes

Episode #1812 – Family Ties: Part 1
Host: Scott Benner
Guests: Crystal Kremenes & Jason (her brother)
Date: March 31, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this emotionally rich and candid episode, host Scott Benner welcomes siblings Crystal Kremenes and her brother Jason—both living with type 1 diabetes, and children of a father who also lived with T1D. Titled “Family Ties,” this first part of a two-part conversation explores the multigenerational impact of type 1 diabetes, unique family dynamics, inherited guilt and coping, and how standards and resources for diabetes care have evolved. The conversation balances humor, vulnerability, and honest reflection as the siblings recount their personal journeys, lessons learned, and the turning point when yet another generation in their family was diagnosed with T1D.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Family Diabetes History and Dynamics

• Both Crystal (diagnosed at 14) and Jason (diagnosed two years later at 17) are siblings, and their father was diagnosed with T1D at age 3.
• The diagnosis narrative captures the normalization of extreme symptoms due to family experience and misguided expectations that T1D would “skip a generation.”
  • Crystal: “I think dad was in denial...because it was his fault.” [12:00]
  • Jason: “You know all this is going on, yet for me...I don't understand how things weren't caught sooner.” [11:32]
• Family did not explicitly discuss diabetes, despite living with it daily.
  • Jason: “I don't remember, as a family, like, ever talking about type 1 diabetes.” [22:22]
  • Crystal: “It wasn't spoken about...that's the only thing [my dad] ever knew.” [24:14]

2. Experiences of Diagnosis and Management

• Crystal describes excessive thirst, frequent urination, and repeated undiagnosed lows prior to official diagnosis, with the school nurse simply offering juice to address symptoms. [08:59-09:50]
• Diagnosis was delayed, even with a diabetic parent, due to denial and lack of awareness.
• Both siblings began with “old school” diabetes management: strict regimen, few daily fingersticks, Regular and NPH insulin, little real-time data, and minimal emotional support.
  • Crystal: “You tested your blood sugar four times a day. You took your regular insulin and your NPH in the morning...and you didn't care about it.” [20:06]

3. Parental Guilt and Emotional Weight

• Their father felt intense guilt for “passing on” diabetes, breaking down emotionally during Crystal’s ICU admission.
  • Crystal: “That was the first time I ever saw my father cry...he felt so bad that he gave it to me.” [17:57]
• Dad’s guilt resurfaced when a grandchild (Jason’s son) was diagnosed, marking a pivotal emotional turning point.
  • Jason: “I think when Wesley was diagnosed is the first time I visibly saw [our dad] feel that kind of pain.” [48:20]

4. Sibling Differences: Coping, Approaches & Impact

• Crystal tended toward running higher blood sugars, motivated by traumatic memories of her father's severe lows and later, Jason's dangerous hypoglycemic episode.
  • Crystal: “I think that’s partially why I let my blood sugars be higher.” [42:53]
• Jason, a sports enthusiast, was more aggressive and risk-tolerant with insulin for better athletic performance:
  • Jason: “If my number was good, I played a lot better...so I was pretty bold with insulin even back then.” [39:01]
• Each sibling’s self-management evolved independently, with little discussion between them in young adulthood due to physical distance and limited technology.
  • Crystal: “We didn’t have cell phones, we didn’t have FaceTime...I didn’t have my diabetic brother.” [43:53]

5. Intergenerational Change and the Power of Technology

• Diabetes management improved dramatically for both with advancing technology (CGM, pumps). Their experience illustrates the generational gap between “doing what the doctor said” and today’s data-driven management.
  • Crystal: “My last [A1C] was 6.89...for the first 10 years, I was 11 or better.” [28:35-28:53]
• Convincing their father to try modern tools was a struggle, with his eventual switch happening after seeing his grandchildren’s successful use.
  • Crystal: “It took a lot of years of us actually doing it ourselves for him to see that it was okay to use modern technology.” [31:00]
  • Jason: “That’s really recent...I would say it was even after the first of my 2 type 1 diabetic boys was diagnosed.” [31:17]

6. The Emotional Cost of “Normal”

• Silence and minimization of diabetes—rooted in family habits and cultural limitations—delayed optimal outcomes and fueled internalized stigma or avoidance, particularly for Crystal in her social life and romantic relationships.
  • Crystal: “I was kind of awkward...I didn’t know how to approach it with other people because I didn’t know anybody else who was diabetic, except for my dad.” [32:39-32:47]
• Jason’s near-fatal low in San Diego underscored the risks of isolation; he recounts being saved by a friend who found him seizing, alone in his apartment.
  • Jason: “She came in...you were laying halfway underneath the coffee table...you’d thrown up all over yourself and you were kind of drooling at the mouth.” [41:19]

7. Family Dynamics and Turning Points

• Children with diabetes prompted new conversations and more proactive attitudes across generations.
  • Jason: “Having Wesley diagnosed was kind of the catalyst within our family to actually start talking about it.” [45:02]
  • Crystal: “Wesley’s diagnosis was a big turning point in the family, that it was okay to talk about it and that we needed to talk about it because what has always been done wasn’t working for any of us.” [47:37]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “No, it was just — it was a mutt. Mama was a Little Whore.” – Crystal, on the family dog’s lineage, sparking laughter and suggestions for a podcast episode title. [14:11]
• “It’s not my fault I haven’t had the birthday yet this year!” – Crystal, on age calculations and diagnosis dates. [03:44]
• On comparing management eras:
  Scott: “Isn’t that silly that it’s just that simple? Like that you just had a hobby that you wanted to be able to do and so you were more aggressive with it.” [39:24]
• Crystal’s regret:
  Crystal: “I regret not taking it more seriously when I first got married and having my own, but I don’t regret the two [stepdaughters] that I have.” [36:52]
• On technology’s role:
  Crystal: “There wasn’t a whole lot of research available...we didn’t have podcasts, we didn’t have forums online. We didn’t have other diabetics to reach out to.” [29:13]

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Important Timestamps

• [02:53] Introducing the guests and their family relationship
• [08:59] Crystal recalls symptoms and the diagnostic process
• [17:47] Father's guilt and first emotional breakdown
• [20:06] Revisiting standard management in the 90s
• [22:22] Never discussing T1D as a family
• [28:35] Crystal’s improved A1C and changes in management
• [39:01] Jason’s aggressive insulin strategy for sports
• [41:19-42:21] Jason’s severe low/seizure story in San Diego
• [45:02] The impact of a next-generation diagnosis
• [47:37] Siblings reflect on the family’s turning point after Wesley’s diagnosis

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Conclusion

Part 1 of “Family Ties” offers a profound look at how type 1 diabetes weaves through generations, shapes personalities, and forces hard reckonings with family legacy, personal responsibility, and evolving standards of care. The episode is rich with humor, lived wisdom, self-deprecating candor, and insight into how families adapt—or sometimes fail to adapt—across decades of diabetes care. With the next part to continue the conversation, listeners are left reflecting on the power of dialogue and the difference community and technology can make in living boldly with insulin.

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Find part two of this episode in your feed now.

Transcript

[A]

Friends, we're all back together for the next episode of the Juice Box Podcast.

[B]

Welcome. Hi, I'm Crystal Kremenes. I am a type 1 diabetic.

[C]

I am Jason and I have I have talked to you a couple times before, Scott.

[A]

If this is your first time listening to the Juice Box Podcast and you'd like to hear more, download Apple Podcasts or Spotify, really any audio app at all, look for the Juice Box Podcast and follow or subscribe. We put out new content every day that you'll enjoy. Want to learn more about your diabetes management? Go to juiceboxpodcast.com up in the menu and look for Bold Beginnings, the Diabetes Pro Tip Series and much more. This podcast is full of collections and series of information that will help you to live better with insulin. If you're looking for community around type 1 diabetes, check out the Juice Box Podcast Private Facebook Group juice box podcast type 1 diabetes but everybody is welcome. Type 1 type 2 gestational loved ones it doesn't matter to me if you're impacted by diabetes and you're looking for support, comfort or community, check out Juice Box podcast type 1 diabetes on Facebook. Nothing you hear on the Juice Box Podcast should be considered advice, medical or otherwise. Always consult a physician before making any changes to your healthcare plan. This episode of the Juice Box Podcast is brought to you by my favorite diabetes organization, touched by type 1. Please take a moment to learn more about [e-mail] on Facebook and Instagram touchedbytypeone.org check out their many programs, their annual conference, awareness campaign, their D Box program, Dancing for Diabetes. They have a dance program for local kids, a golf night and so much more. Touchedbytypeone.org you're looking to help or you want to see people helping people with type 1 you want touchbytype1.org Today's episode is also sponsored by the Tandem MOBI system with Control IQ technology. If you are looking for the only system with auto bolus, multiple wear options and full control from your personal iPhone, you are looking for Tandem's newest pump and algorithm. Use my link to support the podcast. Tandom diabetes.com juicebox Check it out. The podcast is also sponsored today by Eversense365. The only one year wear CGM. That's one insertion and one CGM a year. One CGM one year, not every 10 or 14 days. Eversensecgm.com Juicebox all right, I'm Crystal Kremenes.

[B]

I am a type 1 diabetic, have been since 1994. I believe is when it was.

[A]

I'm interested that you don't know that. I like that.

[B]

Well, I was a freshman in high school, but I can't figure out mentally at this point what year that was.

[A]

Because you're old or because you have a. Do you have a deficit? What happened?

[B]

No, because I'm old.

[A]

Okay. All right, well, how old are you?

[B]

The mental. Math just doesn't mental. Sometimes it doesn't math. Right.

[A]

How old are you?

[B]

I am 44. So it's been 30. It'll be 31 years this year.

[A]

You were diagnosed when you were 13?

[B]

I was, yes.

[A]

See how quickly. What? Well, 44.

[B]

No, sorry, I was 14.

[A]

Okay. Well, I just missed by a little. You know, you can't hold me accountable for, like, missing the end of the year, beginning of the year, diagnosis thing.

[B]

It's not my fault I haven't had the birthday yet this year, so.

[A]

I see. But be impressed with my math.

[B]

It was pretty impressive.

[A]

Oh, I mean, gosh, I took the year, I took the. Your age. Boom, boom. Just like. That was nothing. Now, we're not alone today, Crystal. It's not just you and I and the people listening. We also have with you another person. Crystal, is this person your brother? Your doctor? Is it your garbage man? Who are we talking with right today?

[B]

It is my big brother.

[A]

Okay. And who are you?

[C]

I am Jason, and I have talked to you a couple times before, Scott.

[A]

Yeah. Jason, you're going to be one of the few people that have been on the show three times.

[C]

I would imagine that's what my other little chat has told me already.

[A]

Oh, your people have said this to you?

[C]

The people have said this.

[A]

Well, would it surprise you to know that the only reason I'm certain about it is because those same people told me so? This morning I got a note from somebody that said, like, oh, I'm so excited you're going to talk to Jason today. And I looked at my calendar and I thought, no, I'm not. I was like, I'm actually recording three times that I recorded with Jenny already today. I said, then I have a lady named Crystal. And then later I record with Erica. I said, jason's not on my calendar. And the person said, crystal's Jason's sister. You guys are talking together. And I went, well, now you ruined the surprise for me. So I was like, I don't remember stuff like that. Anyway, Jason, do you know other episodes you've been on off the top of your head?

[C]

No. We both have to ask the same person for those episode Numbers.

[A]

Yeah. Do you remember what it was called?

[C]

Keep Taking Showers.

[A]

Okay, hold on. Keep taking showers, episode 1292. And what was the other one?

[C]

I do not remember the first one.

[A]

You don't remember the first one? Well, I guess.

[C]

Or was that the first one? No, that was not the first one.

[A]

No, I don't think so. 1292 seems like it was in the last couple years, so I'll see if I can figure it out. But I appreciate you guys coming back, and this is a quite an interesting little mix. So, Jason, you have type 1 diabetes as well.

[C]

I do, yeah.

[A]

Tell people what you were just doing.

[C]

I was getting on the call here with Scott and looked at my little ducks. Come reading here, And I said, 68 double arrows down.

[A]

So starting off well, is this after, like, a meal? Bolus.

[C]

This was after a handful of jelly beans that I obviously miscalculated the number of carbs in those jelly beans.

[A]

Oh, little aggressive, maybe. Didn't need a little aggressive jelly bean. Sounds nice. It's neither here nor there, Crystal. We're not here to talk about snacks, are we? I mean, maybe we are. I have no idea. How did this all start? Like, how did we end up together, the three of us? Whose idea was this?

[B]

I believe it was Jason's idea.

[A]

Why did you think it was important, Jason?

[B]

I don't know.

[C]

I brought it up in that other little chat I was talking about, and several other people said it'd be a really good idea to have you guys on because of our unique experience with type 1 diabetes. Yeah.

[A]

And for people who don't know, Jason is a group expert in the Facebook group. So that chat he's talking about is place where you guys all. It can speak privately to each other, right?

[C]

Yeah. Kind of lets us get on top of things a little bit quicker if somebody has a question or an immediate concern in the group that needs an answer.

[A]

So, yeah, it's awesome. Let me take the time now to thank you for doing that. I really do appreciate the effort that must go into it. To be honest, I don't really even understand the full scope of. So I stay out of that. I've mentioned this before. I was invited by the person who set that chat up. They said, look, you know, it's your group. You can be in the chat. I said, I think it would be great if nobody had to worry about that they were saying something in front of me or, like, I want it to be like, a place where you guys can just talk to each other. So I don't know what happens in there? Are there a lot of people on me? Usually.

[C]

Sometimes, yeah.

[A]

Yeah. What do I do wrong, Jason? What are the. What's the consensus? What do I do wrong?

[C]

No, we. We talk a lot about your tone sometimes, and we can tell when it's like the real Scott and the not real Scott talking.

[A]

Oh, on the board, like in the group?

[C]

No, on a podcast.

[A]

On a podcast, there's times that it feels like me, and then there's times that it feels like podcast me. Is that what you're saying?

[C]

Yeah. Like when you're being the honest you and maybe the podcast version of you.

[A]

Oh, that's interesting. I wish somebody would explain that to me. I would love that. Maybe I'd love to be that. Send me a list at the end of the month. Like, here's where we thought this was going to be you and not. Somebody said the other day, hey, this is a really good episode. And I didn't have the nerve to ask back the question I had in my head, which was, do you mean that the guest was good or was I particularly good that day? And I. I wonder how often I'm not as good at it as I could be or I don't do as good of a job or whatever It's. Anyway, neither here nor the crystals. Like, I have a real job. Stop talking about your podcast, stupid. No, no, you should be. Crystal. Crystal. That's exactly what you should be thinking. So who was diagnosed first?

[B]

I was.

[A]

And how many years after, Jason. Till it was you, wasn't it?

[C]

Two years, Crystal?

[B]

I would say two. It was two.

[A]

Yeah. So, Crystal, tell me, do you remember anything about your diagnosis or the lead up to it?

[B]

I just remember I could not drink enough. I would take, like a 32 ounce jug of water to bed at night, and I'd have to get up in the middle of the night and fill it up when I got up to pee, because, you know, the process of drinking water and peeing and drinking water and peeing, that's all you do. But I also remember prior to that feeling, like the low sensation when I was, like, at school, and I'd have to go to the nurse's office and she'd give me a juice box, and I sit there for, you know, 10 minutes and then I go back to class.

[A]

You were having low symptoms before your diagnosis that when explained to a school nurse, they thought, oh, this girl needs some sugar.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah. How long did that go on for?

[B]

I remember that going on for probably two or three months.

[A]

Oh, wow. Okay.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah, it was. It was rock.

[A]

With hindsight, equate it. How low did you do you think you are?

[B]

Oh, I was probably in the 50s. Probably lower than that, maybe.

[A]

It's not uncommon. By the way, before a diagnosis for people listening.

[C]

Well, you know, now that you mentioned that, Crystal, I experienced the exact same thing. Like, I remember that happening, except I didn't go to the nurse because I'm a boy.

[B]

Yeah, right.

[A]

What'd you do? You just took advantage of running in circles and making yourself feel dizzier. You're like, oh, this is great.

[C]

Normally just. Just find something to eat or something to drink or whatever. But not knowing what I was doing, I just, you know, felt that urge that I needed to eat something. I didn't feel terribly low, but, you know, I felt that, like, that sensation that us type ones get when you get low is like, I have to eat something.

[A]

Yeah. And you were having.

[B]

Definitely. I didn't know what it was either. But that's when I went down to the nurse and she's like, I think you just need some sugar. And so she'd give me sugar and then I'd be fine.

[A]

Is that anything you took back to your parents or did the school tell your parents about it? Do you remember?

[B]

No.

[A]

No. If Crystal's. Would you say 44? How old are you, Jason?

[C]

I think I'm 47.

[A]

Okay, so she was 47. So she was first. But you are older. Correct. Do you have any other brothers or sisters?

[B]

No.

[A]

No. Just the two of you guys.

[C]

Okay, so, you know, Scott, if you remember, our dad is also type one.

[A]

Yep.

[C]

You know all this is going on yet for me, I don't understand how things weren't caught sooner.

[A]

Oh, you think that it should have. You think Crystal's situation should have been obvious to your parents?

[C]

I think so, yes. I don't know what Crystal thinks, but

[B]

looking back at it, probably. But I think dad was in denial.

[A]

Oh, okay.

[B]

Because it was his fault.

[A]

Yeah. I'm sorry. Your parents were together, right? There's two people there, four in the house. So. Your mom have any autoimmune stuff or is she just a traveler in this?

[B]

She's just a normal, everyday person.

[A]

Yeah, she just got brought along for the ride. How old? Tell me again how, Crystal, how old was your father when he was diagnosed?

[B]

He was three.

[A]

Okay, so he's had it his whole life. Okay.

[B]

Yeah, he did.

[A]

So what do you mean you think he was in denial? Are you remembering interactions with him that in hindsight should have brought up some more Questions.

[B]

When I got really, really sick and we decided to go to the doctor's office, he actually tested my blood sugar before we left, and it was well over 500. By the time we got to the hospital, it was well over a thousand.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

So. Yeah, but he blamed himself. So he. Yeah, he was in complete denial that. That it could happen to his kid because he was expecting it to skip a generation and be one of our kids.

[A]

He's like, I'm going to be older when this happens, and I won't care, but.

[B]

Exactly right.

[A]

Also, one of you have a wolf. What is going on there?

[B]

Sorry. That was my dog that. I think the FedEx guy's here.

[A]

What kind of dog is it?

[B]

Well, that one is a Blue Heeler lab mix.

[A]

How many dogs do you have, Crystal?

[B]

I have two.

[A]

Okay. Two is fine. Yeah, more than two. I. I send. I send the government a check on you. I think there's something wrong.

[B]

Nope.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah. Okay, so what is a what mix?

[B]

He's a blue heeler and lab mix.

[A]

I don't know what a blue healer is.

[B]

Well, they're supposed to be non shedding dogs, but tell you what, that dog sheds more than any animal I've ever owned.

[A]

Crystal's like, listen, whoever sold me that dog, I'd like to take this opportunity to say you lied to me.

[B]

Okay, Right.

[A]

Also, Blue Heeler sounds like a sad doctor to me.

[B]

They're more of, like a Southern. Southern, like, herding type dog.

[A]

I got to just look real quickly. I'm sorry. I know this is apropos of nothing. Blue Heeler dog. And it's a mix with. Oh, it looks like a wolf.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Australian cattle dog. Is that the.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Okay, and what's the mix with.

[B]

With a Labrador?

[A]

Is this a mud or is this a thing people do?

[B]

No, it was just. It was a mutt. Mama Was a Little Whore

[C]

podcast title.

[A]

Jesus Christ. It's a little early in the. In the show, but Mama's a little whore. I mean, definitely get people his mama

[B]

was a little whore because his brother, my oldest daughter, has his brother, and his brother is a German shepherd healer mix.

[A]

Can I tell you the problem, Jason, with using that as a title is that people are going to feel ripped off when they find out it's about a dog. You know what I mean? They're going to be like, I clicked on this for sure to find out that Crystal was the whore in question, and then it turns out to be your dog, and I feel let down.

[B]

Yeah, right.

[A]

Never. Nevertheless. Okay. Okay. So anyway, the FedEx guy, do you know what you ordered? Is it Amazon dog food?

[B]

Oh, maybe he knows my Chewy order that's supposed to be here three days ago.

[A]

Hey, Chewy, what's the hell?

[B]

No, it's FedEx because Chewy got it to them on. It was their Monday. It's been sitting in the warehouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa since Monday.

[A]

I think that you can't trust anybody. That's what you're telling me, right? Yeah, the whole system is fakacta. I don't know if you know the word. Sorry. I want to get back to it now. You're dizzy in the, in the office. It goes on for way too long. I mean, you're in, I'm guessing, clearly in DK by the time your dad's like, hey, I guess I got to go. Do you have conversations with him over a lifetime about. I mean, I guess he felt. Is he ashamed? Is he guilty? This episode of the Juice Box Podcast is sponsored by the ever since 365 get 365 days of comfortable wear without having to change a sensor. When you think of a continuous glucose monitor, you think of a CGM that lasts 10 or 14 days. But the Eversense 365, it lives up to its name, lasting 365 days. That's one year without having to change your CGM. With the Eversense 365, you can count on comfort and consistency 365 days a year because the Eversense silicone based adhesive is designed for your skin to be gentle and to allow you to take the transmitter on and off to enjoy your shower, a trip to the pool or an activity where you don't want your CGM on your body. If you're looking for comfort, accuracy and a one year wear, you are looking for Eversense365. Go to eversensecgm.com juicebox to learn more. This episode is sponsored by Tandem Diabetes Care and today I'm going to tell you about Tandem's newest pump and algorithm. The Tandem mobi system with control IQ+ technology features Autobolus, which can cover missed meal boluses and help prevent hyperglycemia. It has a dedicated sleep activity setting and is controlled from your personal iPhone. Tandem will help you to check your benefits today through my link tandem diabetes.com juicebox this is going to help you to get started with Tandem's smallest pump yet that's powered by its best algorithm ever. Control IQ technology helps to keep blood sugars in range by predicting glucose levels 30 minutes ahead and it adjusts insulin accordingly. You can wear the tandemobi in a number of ways. Wear it on body with a patch like adhesive sleeve that is sold separately. Clip it discreetly to your clothing or slip it into your pocket. Head now to my link tandem diabetes.com juicebox to check out your benefits and get started today.

[B]

He. He had a lot of guilt. That was the first time I ever saw my father cry was when I was in the ICU because he felt so bad that he gave it to me.

[A]

Did he ever tell you that? Ever used those words?

[B]

Not to me. He told mom and mom told me about it later on.

[A]

Okay. Did you feel that? I mean, I know you saw him cry that day, but moving forward, did he. Was that a. Like a. I don't know, a feeling that laid over the house for you or was he able to push through it?

[B]

I think he pushed through it, yeah. For the most part. I do feel that he was a little more attentive after that. Oh, dad was a workaholic, so he worked all the time. And if I wanted to spend time with dad, I went to work with him. So in the summertimes I would go and work with him during the day when he was working for himself as an electrician, and then he would go evenings to the local factory and work all evening. After I was diagnosed, you know, he was always kind of checking in on me, you know. You feeling okay? Do we need to stop for lunch? Or before, it was always me asking him, you know, do we need to go get some lunch? You're not acting quite right.

[A]

You know, Crystal, true or false, you could come to my house and reroute a couple of switches for me.

[B]

Oh, I definitely could. I'm helping my brother in law right now rewire his house.

[A]

No kidding. Oh, I wish you lived close.

[B]

He bought an old schoolhouse house and they completely gutted it. And I'm working on rewiring that house right now.

[A]

And you learned that from being with your dad?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Oh, that's cool. That's a nice thing to take through your life. Do you have kids?

[B]

I have two. Two stepdaughters.

[A]

Okay. Do you teach them about electricity?

[B]

No, no.

[A]

They don't get.

[B]

They have no desire to learn.

[A]

That's not how TikTok works at all.

[B]

So just like Jason had no desire to learn from that, so. Oh, I learned it.

[A]

That's. It's very cool.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

As a skill. I wish I had. My dad knew everything about electricity and I never once Absorbed any of it. And I really wish I would have. So. Okay, in that time you're diagnosed, do you know what your management style was like?

[B]

Very poor. Very little bit of management. It was. You tested your blood sugar four times a day. You took your regular insulin and your NPH in the morning, you took your regular NPH at night, and you didn't care about it. There was. There was no checking.

[A]

Yeah, poor compared to nowadays or poor compared to what was expected of you back then, even you were doing a good job with the system that was in place, or you weren't even sure you were.

[B]

Yeah, I thought, you know, we. I was doing what the doctor told me to do, you know, you checked in the morning, you checked at lunch, you checked after school or before dinner, and then you checked at bedtime.

[A]

Gotcha. Okay. And your dad had been managing that way his whole life?

[B]

Pretty much, yes.

[A]

Okay. But do you guys both remember him being low sometimes?

[B]

Yes. I actually experienced my first low with him when I was probably, I don't know, four or five. I remember it vividly in our old living room in the house before we moved the living room to the back of the house. It was in the morning, and he just started to shake all over the place. And I remember being so upset because he knocked over the lamp. And that's what made me mad. And so that was back in the day where, I don't know, mom and dad had it set up where you just push one number on the phone and it rang Mom's work. So I called mom at work and was telling her about it, and she's like, I'm going to call the ambulance and they're going to come and they're going to help. Your dad and mom got there before the ambulance did, and I just. I vividly remember that experience.

[A]

And did you.

[B]

And I never wanted to have that happen to me.

[A]

Yeah, no kidding. Did you try to. I mean, you're a little kid then, but did you try to help him? Or did you just sort of stand there, watch it happen, being pissed about the lamp?

[B]

I had no idea what it was.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

At that point, I was not educated.

[A]

Did it get explained to you after that? Were they like, oh, guess what? Sometimes this happens to Daddy, or like, was there not that much conversation around it? I mean, you're a little kid that I don't remember.

[B]

I don't remember having a conversation about it.

[A]

Do you remember more of the visceral part of it. You remember watching it happen to him? That feeling you had about, oh, no, he knocked. The lamps must have been so expensive where you live.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And where the. And the lamp thing. And then that's something. Okay, I said, but that's stuck.

[C]

I don't remember, as a family, like, ever talking about type 1 diabetes.

[B]

Yeah, I don't either.

[A]

Growing up, never. This thing that impacted him so much is just what I mean. You guys have heard the episodes where there was a woman on last year, right. Her mom tried to hide it, like, for, like, a decade. She thought her kids didn't know she had type 1 diabetes. They knew, but, like, the mom was trying to hide it, but yours wasn't being hidden. It just wasn't spoken about with him.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Okay. Crystal, when you're diagnosed, I see how it was for you, but, Jason, how was it for you when she was diagnosed?

[C]

See, I was in high school, so I don't think I paid a whole lot of attention. I regret that for sure. After lived experiences and looking back on it, I don't remember a whole lot of it at all because I was busy living my high school life.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Yeah. Isn't that something? I think that's common, by the way. I wouldn't think of it as a judgment about you. I would think that most people would have that experience. But it is weird looking back on it as an older person. Yeah. Your sister's diagnosed with diabetes, you know. You know, I guess at least have some context for it with your father. And that you're just sort of like, well, okay. And then you just keep going and it doesn't become more of a focal point, I guess, is interesting.

[C]

And I think it also is just, you know, like, we were just talking about, like, it wasn't made out to be as big of a deal as it actually was in our family.

[A]

But why is that? This is a question for both of you. Was it not made out to be a big deal because your dad was trying to minimize it, or was it not made out to be a big deal because he didn't really know that it was?

[B]

I'm sure he knew it was a big deal. I just don't think that since he'd had it since he was 3, that it was a huge deal to him. You know, that's the only thing he ever knew.

[A]

But how are his health outcomes during that time? Well, do you know. Do you know what his A1Cs were, in hindsight?

[B]

Awful.

[A]

So that's the thing. This is, by the way, this isn't me talking about your dad or you. This is me, like, wandering bigger you know, around the conversations that I've been having for a decade. Like, I am fascinated that somebody could get type 1 diabetes. Know the implications of it, it not be going well. And they act like it's just what happens. Like, that part freaks me out. I really don't know. I mean, you can take diabetes out of it. We could talk about any number of things that go on in the world. I'm constantly baffled by people's ability to just ignore things that are, that are happening to them. I don't know how to, like, explain that. You know what I mean?

[B]

So when he was little, they always went to the University of Iowa to have all of his diabetes care taken care of. But I think when he got older and kind of aged out of the pediatric system over there, he didn't see endocrinology until after, I think it was till after Jason was diagnosed, before he ever went back to an endocrinologist. Yeah, he was, he was managed by family medicine.

[A]

Yeah, Chris, I understand the functionality about the way it comes, but like, like, if I walked up to you right now and stuck a little penknife in your leg and you were like, ow. And I said to you, like, we're just going to leave that there forever, just going to fester a little and one day you'll die of an infection from this. But we'. We all know this is a problem, but no one's going to do anything about it and you're going to agree to just live with it like this, and you go, okay. That part just throws me for a loop. Every time something comes up with my health, I focus on how to get rid of it or change it or something. I don't always succeed at it, and some things have taken longer than others, but sometimes the tools just didn't exist. But I still push towards things. I guess it's like a. It must be a coping mechanism. It's a couple shots a day. The outcomes aren't great. I get dizzy sometimes. We had to call the ambulance once or twice. But you know what? I'm alive and there's no other answer. Then I get it. Then I get like, well, I'm just, I'm making the best of a bad situation. I mean, once the technology shifts or the insulin gets better and people are still like, ah, whatever. Like, I, I interviewed a guy yesterday. He was really great. His name was Roger. Roger was 60 years old. He is blind, like 100% sees black blind. Diagnosed as a little kid, lost his sight in his early 20s on the podcast because he's looping and like, you know, having all this great success and everything. And I was like, oh, when did you pull this all together? He's like, last year. I'm like, last year, like when you were 59? He was diagnosed when he was 3. It took 56 years to like. I mean, and I see he had different, you know, different speed bumps along the way. But, like, I don't know. I don't even know if I'm articulating myself. Well, like, it freaks me out that your dad was in the situation he was in, having the outcomes he had. Then you were diagnosed and you just started managing the same way he did. I mean, you guys are parents, right? Jason, you have kids too, right?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Doesn't that sound wrong to you?

[C]

It definitely. Like, it does.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

And I think after I was diagnosed, like, that's kind of the mindset that kicked in in my head after maybe a year or so of having type one is like, you know, I have to, I have to do something about this because I don't want to end up like my dad.

[A]

Do you think about Crystal, then when you have that idea, like, are you like, oh, no, Crystal's gonna go the same way. Are you too young to worry about her too?

[C]

Still too young. Because when I was diagnosed, you know, I was a senior in high school. And that summer after high school, I went to a two year tech school, like right away. So it was like I was out of the house pretty quickly.

[A]

Okay. After your diagnosis and.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

And Crystal, were you. How long did you. Well, I guess I should ask you now, Crystal, like, what's your management like now?

[B]

I. On the moby with Dexcom G6.

[A]

Nice. And what are your outcomes? Like, where do you generally think your A1C is going to be when they

[B]

look, my Last one was 6.89.

[A]

Oh, you must be thrilled with that.

[B]

I am, yeah. No, because the first probably 10 years, I was 11 or better.

[A]

So then there you go. So for the first 10 years, you have that horrible experience with your dad getting low. You have that kind of aversion to it. Do you know he's not in a healthy way? Or do you not, or is it so not spoken about that you don't know? And at what point do you realize for yourself that your A1Cs aren't good?

[B]

It took me quite a while to figure out that, you know, the way that dad and I were doing it wasn't the best way. But there also wasn't a whole lot of research available because, you know, the Internet was just starting, and we didn't have podcasts, we didn't have forums online. We didn't have other diabetics to reach out to.

[A]

You just piecing your way through it. You're trying to stay alive day to day. Your understanding of what's happening to you grows over time, and then eventually there's enough tools and resources to coalesce all that stuff together and make a better decision.

[B]

Definitely. Yeah.

[A]

All right, so when you guys do. Both guys agree that when you look back, it's not a failing of your father's as much as it is just a symptom of the taunt. Time.

[C]

I think it's a symptom of the time. And I wouldn't say that our dad was always present in our lives every single day. I think he was a lot more present in Crystal's life. A lot of times. I was out kind of doing my own thing, figuring life out necessarily, not without his guidance all the time.

[A]

Crystal, are you more like your dad than your brother is?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay. And Jason, are you more like your mom?

[C]

Yeah, 100%.

[A]

Gotcha. Okay, so interesting. So you have different mindsets. Crystal, when you figure it out, like when you say to yourself, oh, no, we are not doing what we should be doing, do you think of yourself or your dad or do you think of yourself as a team and you guys both need help?

[B]

Well, by the time I figured it out, I was an adult. So at that point, it was, what do I need to do to better myself? And then we'll work on dad.

[A]

Okay. Did it work out that way?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. Jason and I got him talked into a Dexcom and an Omnipod eventually. It took a lot of years of us actually doing it ourselves for him to see that it was okay to use modern technology to manage his diabetes.

[C]

That's really recent. Like, it was. I would say it was even after the first of my 2 type, type 1 diabetic boys was diagnosed.

[A]

Yeah, you guys are, like, on a roll, by the way. You can. You can make people with diabetes like it's nothing over there.

[C]

Yeah. They need any research candidates, because I can. I can make them.

[A]

Jason's like, watch this, watch this. Boom. Diabetes. Like magic. Crystal, anything to the fact that you don't have natural children. Are you trying to avoid making diabetes babies, or did it just not work out that way?

[B]

I was older when I got married, and my A1C was not great. And so my husband and I made the choice, the decision together, that since he Already had two that we would just.

[A]

We'll use these. Yeah, gotcha. Eddie, we'll dig a little further. Did you not date seriously as a younger person because of diabetes in any way?

[B]

I think so, yeah. I was kind of awkward. I probably dated twice in high school and they weren't great relationships.

[C]

They were not at all awkward.

[B]

What do you mean not at all?

[C]

I didn't like either of them.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, well.

[A]

True idiots. There's morons. What do you mean, awkward? Are you like socially awkward or awkward because you have diabetes and you want to tell people about it? What did you mean?

[B]

I think it was the diabetes mostly. And it, you know, I didn't know how to approach it with other people because I didn't know anybody else who was diabetic except for my dad.

[A]

Okay. And so if you're going to get close to these other people, then you either have to make a decision to like obfuscate, don't tell them about it as much as possible, or give them access to your life that you don't know how to give to people.

[B]

Exactly, exactly. I didn't know how to approach the topic of, you know, no, I can't go out for ice cream today because my blood sugar is too high.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I don't want to take another shot because at that point I was, you know, the pens came out at that point when I was later on in high school and I didn't want to have to carry it around all the time.

[A]

Right.

[B]

It was inconvenient and I was a teenage girl and I didn't have. I shouldn't have to do that. And yeah, it was.

[A]

So I'll need to be. Sit at home and sulk and be sad and alone versus do those other things.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So you wanted to date? Sure, yeah.

[B]

I mean, what teenage girl doesn't want to date?

[A]

Okay, so that all makes sense. But that goes on. Did you. Did you go to college or trade school or anything?

[B]

I did a couple years at the community college.

[A]

Were there boys there that you let know about your diabetes?

[B]

No, because I was in the nursing program, so it was mostly all females.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

In my classes.

[A]

So when do you, like. I mean, Crystal, I don't know how to ask this. Like, when are you like, mama gotta get her cookies? Like, when does that happen? Exactly. Like, when are you like. I'm just going to dive into this for the sex part.

[B]

I was quite old, really.

[A]

And this is because 21 ish. Because of the diabetes.

[B]

Just because I didn't know how to approach It. And I didn't know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

How it would be accepted or not accepted.

[A]

Right.

[C]

You know, people not in a serious enough relationship. You know, like.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

To give over. To give over that kind of access to your feelings and how you feel to somebody. Yeah. Jason, I'm sorry we're talking about this about your sister in front of you. I'm sure you're not happy about that. I think it's genuinely insightful. And then how old were you when you got married?

[B]

I was 26 when we got married.

[A]

I mean, that's not that old. Yeah, but now you're saying you're 26. You finally find a boy you're gonna talk about this with and let him in and everything, and that's all great, and then. But you get married, you start thinking like kids, but you're like, my A1C's, like, messed up. I can't do that. Did you think I can't even. There's no way for me to make it better, so we shouldn't try.

[B]

Not so much that I couldn't make it better, but I was set in my ways, and I wasn't willing to.

[A]

Stubborn, you mean?

[B]

Yes, I was very stubborn.

[A]

Krystal, are you what they call. Are you what they call a pain in the.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Okay. Yes. Apparently, yes.

[A]

I mean, I'm a pain in the. So I was just wondering if maybe you were, too.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

What does stuck in my ways mean?

[B]

So I wasn't willing to change what my daily routine was.

[A]

Why? You know, tell me why.

[B]

Because I was a pain in the ass.

[A]

That's not what I wanted from. Dig deeper. Why not?

[C]

You think it was working from your perspective? It was working.

[B]

Well, I mean, it was working. I wasn't. I wasn't in the elevens anymore. I was down in probably the mid to upper eights, but.

[A]

So it was better.

[B]

It was better. Okay, but it wasn't.

[A]

But what were the goals?

[B]

Let's have a baby, dad.

[A]

What was your doc. Yeah, what was. So there is. So this is what we're getting to. Is that back then somebody might tell you an 8. A 1C is good, but you have to get that magic 6 or 5 to have a baby. And having done all you did to go from 11 to 8, you're like, I can't get to 5. Is that how it felt looking back at it?

[B]

Yes. Okay.

[C]

All right.

[B]

I was like, there's no way I'm ever going to be below 6 or even in the sixes. I never thought I would be in the sixes. Before.

[A]

Do you think of your story as a sad story?

[B]

A little bit.

[A]

I'm not the one bringing that out today. This is already a feeling you have.

[B]

Yeah. No, I. No, I regret not taking it more seriously when I first got married and having my own, but I don't regret the two that I have.

[A]

No, I wouldn't think you would. Okay. Yeah. In case they hear that, we should say that Mommy loves you, all that stuff, right?

[B]

Yes, I do.

[A]

Okay. What does not taking it more seriously mean? And is that a thing you knew that you weren't doing then, or is that only a thing you know, through hindsight?

[B]

I think it's hindsight. You know, I was functioning. I was. As far as I knew, I was managing my diabetes, right. Because I was taking my insulin every day. I was counting my carbs. I was checking my sugars. You know, this was before cgm, so I was checking my sugars four or five times a day.

[A]

You were doing the things they asked you to do, and you were having outcomes that people said, generally speaking, are good.

[B]

Yes. Yeah, exactly.

[A]

They just weren't good enough to. Good enough, quote, unquote, to have a baby back then, the way people talked about it.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Got it. Okay.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Jason, at that point, when she's 26 and married, you're a couple years older. You've now had diabetes for more than a handful of years. What is your management like back then?

[C]

So a little bit prior to Crystal getting married, we got married. Her and her husband got married a year before. No, it was the same year.

[B]

It was the same year. It was like three weeks.

[C]

Yeah. Three weeks. Yeah. So prior, like, if you step back, probably, like, five years from that. I was living in San Diego at the time. I had moved there, followed a girl. You know how that worked out, Scott? Didn't work out. My management at that point in time was I tested pretty frequently, and I swagged every single meal that I ate. I was pretty bold with insulin even back then. You know, I would take enough insulin to probably feel low, and then I knew it was time to eat or drink something again.

[A]

Okay, so you were riding on the lower side.

[C]

Oh, definitely.

[A]

Okay. Why do you. Do you have hindsight into why that was your approach?

[C]

I know exactly why that's my approach. So when I was diagnosed, I played a lot of roller hockey. What I noticed while playing hockey is that if my number was good, I played a lot better. So that was kind of instilled into my brain is I perform better when I'm at a Reasonable number.

[A]

Okay. And so more. You needed more insulin to make that happen.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Isn't that silly that it's just that simple? Like that you just had a hobby that you wanted to be able to do and so you were more aggressive with it. And so where were your A1Cs at that time then?

[C]

Probably in the sixes. Yeah, I was also, you know, I bounced between high fives and probably mid sixes for those 10 years before Crystal got married.

[A]

Lot of lows without.

[C]

I would imagine so. Yes.

[A]

Yeah. Some you probably didn't even know about, I would imagine.

[C]

Yeah, we. I've got some stories about being low

[A]

too, so I need a pivot point. So give me your best low story.

[C]

My best low story. This was in San Diego. I was living by myself at this point in time. I live in an apartment over by the Mormon Temple in San Diego. It's a giant castle looking place. Woke up in the morning, I don't exactly remember what I was doing. Getting ready for somebody to come over and pick me up to go out to lunch. And apparently what I think had happened is I took some insulin in the morning, had a little breakfast, and that is the last thing I remember. And thankfully that day, you know, living by myself in San Diego, you made sure you locked your door every day. And for some reason I had unlocked the door in the morning and my friend came over around lunchtime and she bangs on the door, I don't answer it, bangs on the door some more and I don't answer it. And then she, she decided, well, maybe I should poke my head in or see if the door is unlocked. And thankfully it was unlocked. And she came in and she said that, yeah, you were laying halfway underneath the coffee table, your feet were up on the couch and you'd throwing up all over yourself and you were kind of drooling at the mouth. After that, you know, she called the, called 911 and they came and picked me up and took me to the hospital. And that was like a fiasco. Like, I just recently found the medical records from that and they, when they picked me up, they tested my, you know, blood sugar and it was not high. It was pretty normal looking. And so they didn't really suspect that it was from a low. But you know, looking back on it and the knowledge that I have now, I'm pretty sure what happened is, you know, I had that seizure and the adrenaline kicked in and brought up my number enough to like, you know, save my life.

[A]

Yeah, your liver helped you.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. So I think that happened. And then, you know, after that whole incident, you know, I did, like, a CAT scan on me and all that stuff, trying to figure out what was wrong with me. And it probably took my brain a good 12, 14, 15 hours to, like, partially reboot and kind of wake up and figure out what's going on. And it just took a long time to recover from that. And it took me another probably solid week to remember any sort of details about what was happening around the time that I had the seizure.

[A]

Okay, wow. Crystal. You knew this. At what point do you know that happened to him? Is it, like, after it's over? Okay.

[B]

His friend.

[A]

Her friend called you guys. Did somebody go out to him?

[B]

Mom did.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah, mom did.

[A]

Gotcha. And you have diabetes at that time, too. So are you thinking, like, oh, that's never happened to me before, or.

[B]

I hope that I'm thinking, holy crap, I don't ever want that to happen to me.

[A]

Do you think that that's partially why you let your blood sugars be higher?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay, 100.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So your experience seeing your dad get low, then hearing about Jason keeps you a little on the high side, and Jason, your desire to be good at roller hockey keeps yours on the lower.

[C]

Exactly.

[A]

In life. Strange. My gosh. And then where in this process, like, I know when you guys go to your dad and say, hey, why don't you try cgm? But before that, you guys must, like, pull things together even a little better. So, like, are you doing that together? Do you guys have some sort of, like, crazy cool diabetes bond, or do you not really talk about it very much?

[C]

We didn't talk about it much every now and then, but I don't think we ever, like, discussed it as a point of conversation. It would probably come up in conversation, but not something that we kind of sought out from each other.

[B]

Okay, well, with you being up at Eden Prairie and then out in San Diego, I didn't have my diabetic brother

[A]

a lot of contact with me.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And, you know, we didn't have cell phones back then. We didn't have FaceTime. We didn't have any of the good stuff back then. And, you know, I'm talking like, I'm anciently old here.

[A]

Well, you're pretty old. Don't.

[B]

I am pretty old.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Don't worry. Anybody who remembers no cell phones is pretty old.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

At this point.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Well, okay, so you guys don't have the ability to be contacted. Is there ever a. For either of you? And this might. I mean, maybe. Maybe you'll say no. But do you ever have that feeling? Like, I know what it's like to have diabetes. Jason's off somewhere having a different experience. Crystals, off somewhere having a different experience. I wish we were closer about it, or I wish I did worry about each other and not tell each other you were worried. Like, I'm looking for any of the. What it felt like to be isolated from each other feelings.

[C]

I don't think I. I don't think I worried about it. I. No, I didn't worry about it.

[A]

Why not?

[C]

When I was away. Why not?

[A]

Because you have Jason. You have a kid with diabetes.

[C]

Yeah, I didn't. I don't think I started worrying about it until, like, when my first kid was diagnosed. And that's. I think. I think having Wesley diagnosed was kind of the catalyst within our family to actually start talking about it.

[A]

Ah, okay. That's what I want to get to. So Wesley's diagnosed, and one of your thoughts not long after that is holy. Is Crystal okay?

[C]

Yeah. I definitely thought about that a lot more, and I know that we definitely talked about it significantly more than we had in the past after that.

[A]

Crystal, you know, your brother is kind of like a. Like a touchy. He's a feely guy, right? Like, he's got.

[B]

He can be.

[A]

Yeah, he can be. Right. Okay. Are you like that, too? Less so.

[B]

I mean. Yeah, I suppose so.

[A]

Crystal, what the hell was that? Do you. Do you. Are you. Do you get worried about people? Do you get, like. Do. Do you think. Do you sit around worried about Jason sometimes?

[B]

Depends. I mean, I worry more for the boys than I do Jay.

[A]

Okay, Because. Because, you know, your brother's an idiot. You're worried he can't take care of him, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, I don't know how this. No. Dick's holding this whole thing together. I knew him when. Let me tell you a story, right? I'm 54. I have two younger brothers. I still. I worry about my brothers, like, you know, a fair amount. And so I was. I'm just wondering, like, how that all works. So. But let's go back to your son being diagnosed and how that kind of, like, moves your family into another direction. So what do you think the. I'd like to hear from both of you. Like, what was that process like? It sounds like it started with you, Jason, but then how does it transfer into crystal and then become what it is now? And what is it now?

[C]

I think when Wesley was diagnosed, it really kind of opened up everybody's eyes because, you know, he was only like, two and a half years old. And we'd also been told the same thing growing up. You know, it always skips a generation. Skips to generation. And I think that really kind of opened up everybody's eyes as to, you know, this is a. A real thing. And through watching not such good care happen. Like, we can't let that happen to Wesley. Like, we have to talk about it. We have to do something about it. I don't. What's your opinion, Crystal?

[B]

I felt that Wesley's diagnosis was a big turning point in the family, that it was okay to talk about it and that we needed to talk about it because what has always been done wasn't working for any of us.

[A]

At least not well enough for your desire for Wesley's outcomes.

[B]

Exactly. Yep.

[A]

Because it was working well enough for you guys. You guys were all okay with it because you were doing it for yourselves. But once it gets on to the child, then everyone. How about your dad? Did your dad have that feeling, too? Do you know?

[C]

Definitely.

[A]

This is his worst nightmare come true. He didn't think you guys were getting it. He thought some unnamed boy or girl in the future was going to end up with it. And then that happened too.

[B]

Right.

[C]

I think it really. Again, like, it hit him hard when Crystal and I were diagnosed, but, you know, he balled it up and shoved it in the back of his brain. I think when Wesley was diagnosed as the first time, like, I visibly saw him, like, feel that. That kind of pain, you know, that. That knowledge that, yes, Wesley has type one and he's so young. Like, he's young like my dad was.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And there's nothing that Wesley can do to take care of himself because, you know, two and a half, you can't do that, so. Right.

[A]

Your dad.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I'm sorry. Your dad's gone now, right? Yes, pretty recently. A couple years.

[C]

Two years as a crystal.

[B]

Two years? Yeah. 23 there. No, 24.

[A]

Because I'm sitting here trying to put myself in his mind. Like, is he sad because he knows what life's gonna be like? He thinks because he had an experience, he thinks, oh, this is gonna be that. You know, this is gonna be your son's experience. Is he angry at himself? Which is ridiculous, but still, I guess they feel it. Fault. I wonder if it ends up being a mix of the whole thing or if there's, like, an overwhelming portion of this that that's got him. Did you guys ever get to talk?

[C]

I think he. He was angry at himself for causing all of this. You know, I think that he had that definite guilt and anger in the beginning. But I think I and my wife Tina do a really good job of taking care of our two T1D boys that I think that helped shift his mindset a little bit.

[A]

Jason, do you feel like that at all? Do you feel like I did this?

[C]

No, I don't feel like that.

[A]

You don't feel like that? Okay.

[C]

Not at all.

[A]

Because. Well, here's a question for you. Do you think you don't feel like that because you're a reasonably healthy human being who understands that this isn't their fault? Or do you think it's. You don't feel that way because you can blame your dad because if there is a lineage, it started with him and not you. This episode was too good to cut anything out of, but too long to make just one episode. So this is part one. Make sure you go find part two right now. It's going to be the next episode in your feed. The conversation you just heard was sponsored by Touched by Type 1. Check them out [e-mail] on Instagram and Facebook. You're gonna love them. I love them. They are helping so many [e-mail] head now to tandomdiabetes.com juicebox and check out today's sponsor, Tandem Diabetes Care. I think you're going to find exactly what you're looking for at that link, including a way to sign up and get started with the Tandem MOBI system. I'd like to thank the Eversense365 for sponsoring this episode episode of the Juicebox Podcast and remind you that if you want the only sensor that gets inserted once a year and not every 14 days, you want the Eversense CGM. Eversensecgm.com JuiceBox 1 Year 1 CGM thank you so much for listening. I'll be back very soon with another episode of the Juicebox Podcast. If you're not already subscribed or following the podcast in your favorite audio app like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, please do that now. Seriously, just to hit, follow or subscribe will really help the show. If you go a little further in Apple Podcasts and set it up so that it downloads all new episodes, I'll be your best friend. And if you leave a five star review, ooh, I'll probably send you a Christmas card. Would you like a Christmas card? How would you like to share a type 1 diabetes getaway like no other? Join me on Juice Cruise 2026. You may be asking what is Juice Cruise? It's a week long cruise designed specifically for people and families living with type 1 diabetes. It's not just a vacation, it's a chance to relax, connect and feel understood in a way that is hard to find elsewhere. We're going to sail out of Miami and the cruise includes stops in Cococay, San Juan, St. Kitts and Nevis aboard the stunning Celebrity Beyond. This ship is chosen for its comfort, accessibility and exceptional amenities. You're going to enjoy a welcoming environment surrounded by others who get life with type 1 diabetes. I'm going to host diabetes focused conversations and meetups on the days at sea. There's thoughtfully designed spaces, incredible dining and modern amenities all throughout the Celebrity Beyond. Your kids can be supervised and there's teen programs so everyone gets time to recharge, not just the kids going on vacation. But maybe you get to kick back a little bit too. There's going to be zero judgment, real connections and a whole lot of sun and fun on Juice Cruise 2026. Please come with me. You're going to have a terrific time. You can learn more or set up your deposit@juicebox podcast.com juicecruise Get a hold of Suzanne at Cruise Planners. She will take care of everything. Links in the show notes [e-mail] I created the Diabetes Variables series because I know that in type 1 diabetes management, the little things aren't that little and they really add up. In this series we'll break down everyday factors like stress, sleep, exercise and those other variables that impact your day more than you might think. Jenny Smith and I are gonna get straight to the point with practical advice that you can trust. So check out the Diabetes Variable series in your podcast player [e-mail]. have a podcast? Want it to sound fantastic? Wrongwayrecording. Com.